Posted on 05/30/2004 4:15:31 AM PDT by ken5050
If you happen to turn your TV set on at any time this Memorial Day weekend, there's a strong probability you'll come across a World War II war movie..... the classic Hollywood genre. There are many of them, and, happily a lot of very good ones. So, on this weekend of remembrance, and the dedication of the WW II memorial, what's your favorite, or favorites, and why?
Also, Stalag 17 and the Great Escape.
My favorite WW2 films
Battleground
Twelve O'clock High (B-17's)
The Enemy Below
The Battle of Britian (Spitfires!)
Wake Island
Cross of Iron (Lee Marvin as a German?)
There is one other film called "Stand by for action"
that I can never seem to catch on the air. A Navy movie
about a 4-stack WW1 destroyer re-commissioned for service
in WW2. Walter Brennan(hope I spelled his name right)
was the old Chief and the Capt. was the same man who
was the Marine Officer in Wake Island.
Mike
Everything you know about all the WW II classics is archaic, obsolete, blown away by the fantastic Tom Hanks and Richard Spielberg production called Band of Brothers.
Believe me, I'm a fan. I quiz my wife on upcoming lines in Tora Tora Tora, Midway and The Longest Day. She hates the game, but has seen them all so many times she knows.(which of the Strawberries finds the Fleet?)
Band of Brothers is truth. There is no propaganda either way. The DVD has Lt Winters in the flesh along with his noncoms and soldiers. Had the producers not done a good job, the comments by those actually there would not have been made. They would have not permitted their voices to be heard contributing to a lie.
There will be a day, not tomorrow, but I will rent them all, start at 8:00 am and watch the whole day......
That movie has great meaning to me as my Brother was German POW from 8/15/44 to the end of the war. His camp was forced to march about a hundred miles in the worst winter in Europe.
When I hear Lee Marvin's name I immediately think of THE DIRTY DOZEN
Strawberry 5 or Scout #4?
"Pearl" with Angie Dickenson and Robert Wagner (yum)
General Scott is a fine American.
very astute........
"Where Eagles Dare (Haven't seen this one mentioned)"
See post #99
Carole Lombard's last movie was "To Be or Not to Be" a hilarious movie about a troop of actors who foil the Germans with their thespian skills. Carole was a beautiful and talented woman and should be remembered for her sacrifice. She was returning to her husband -Clark Gable-when her plane went down. Thy just don't make men like him anymore. RIP Carole.
Up until Band of Brothers, it had been my favorite WWII movie. I'm watching Operation Burma at the moment. Recorded it from AMC yesterday. I love Errol Flynn.
Thank you so much for taking the time to post the last lines of "Mrs. Miniver." That is one of the all-time inspiring speeches, and I especially liked "Onward Christian Soldiers" at the end.
I agree, The Best Years of Our Lives is my favorite as well. That was back in the days when Hollywood respected America, and what it stands for. How times have changed.
That's Objective, Burma!
2. Saving Private Ryan --most realistic combat movie ever
3. Das Boot (Directors cut/subtitled) --best submarine movie ever. I enjoy watching at night, no lights on in the house, and have the air-conditioning turned low, very cold.
4. Patton --George C. Scott is just great. The scenes giving speeches are most excellent. I consider this a movie about Patton; not a war movie.
5. The Memphis Belle --Another of my favorites. Another overlooked WWII pic. A great cast. Matthew Modine, Sean Austin, very good. Deserves more respect. Great scenes of the air war plus Im a sucker for anything having B-17s in it.
6. Kellys Heroes --Funniest war movie ever. I think of it as a comedy set in WWII. Another movie I dont consider a war movie.
7. Stalag 17 --An excellent drama set in WWII.
8. Big Red One
When I watched this film again with my son recently he kept asking me how they did such a realistic job depicting his missing hands, given the limits of 1940's movie technology, etc. I didn't tell him until the film ended.
When they left, I noticed Scott got in the drivers seat of the Cadillac and drove off despite his age.
Also Guadalcanal Diary, Steel Helmet,The Big Red One,Air force,GI Joe.
For the women: White Cliffs of Dover. Irene Dunne has a beautiful monologue about how the Yanks and the Brits come together for the good of mankind. Wonderful.
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